Pulling Pigtails
by Theoretical-Optimist
Summary: Victoire and Teddy get into a fight at preschool, and the fallout is painful and confusing. Written for Round 7 of THC (year three)


House: Gryffindor

Position: HoH

Category: Standard (Includes a letter or a note)

Prompt: [Negative Pairing] Teddy Lupin/ Victoire Weasley

Word Count (excluding header and AN): 1147

Beta: Tigger

AN- From canon and JK Rowling's further writing, we know that Teddy is approximately two years older than Victoire. In this story, Teddy is around age five and Victoire age three. I'm working off the assumption that Dominique and Louis weren't born yet. "Ma petite fille" translates to "my little girl".

* * *

"Beel?" Fleur asked as she walked into the kitchen at Shell Cottage. "Where are you?"

"We're in Victoire's room," he called.

When she walked around the corner into her daughter's room, Fleur felt her heart crack. "Oh, ma petite fille!"

Victoire had her head buried in her father's chest and was soaking his shirt with tears.

"What happened?" Fleur asked as she wrapped her arms around both Bill and Victoire.

"There was an incident at school today. The headmistress sent me a Patronus and asked me to come pick her up early. She sent home a note." Bill nodded his head towards a piece of parchment sticking out of Victoire's small bookbag.

Without releasing her hold on her family, Fleur summoned the note and began to read.

 _Dear Bill and Fleur Weasley,_

 _I regret to inform you that your daughter, Victoire, was involved in a physical altercation with another student today. During snack break, the other student stole Victoire's cauldron cake. Before a staff member could correct that behavior, Victoire kicked the other student in the shin. The other student then retaliated by pushing Victoire out of her seat. She pulled him to the ground with her and before a staff member could pull them apart, she bit the other student on the arm._

 _We have sent home a similar note to the other student's guardian._

 _We do not allow violence of any kind at St. Felicity's School of Young Witches and Wizards. Because this is both Victoire and the other student's first offenses, we will permit both children to return to school tomorrow as normal. But if either exhibits violent behavior towards anyone again, they will be expelled from the school._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Headmistress Thorpe_

Fleur noticed a small note at the end in a different handwriting.

 _Bill and Fleur,_

 _It was Teddy. Victoire and Teddy are fighting. As their classroom teacher, I've never seen them act anything like this. If you want, I'm willing to act as a mediator if you wish to meet your Andromeda and Teddy. Something is going on here._

 _Love,_

 _Ginny_

Fleur gasped. "Beel, what are we going to do?"

"I hope you don't mind, but I contacted Gin already. She's arranged for us to meet with Andromeda tonight. Harry will also be there as Teddy's godfather. I want to sit both Victoire and Teddy down and teach them to work out their differences using words and not violence."

"NOOOOOO!" Victoire raised her head just enough to let out an eardrum shattering shriek. "No Teddy!"

"Teddy's your friend, sweetheart," Fleur reminded her.

"No! Teddy's mean to me. He's always teasing me and tugging on my piggy tails." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"Honey," Bill said, "Sometimes a little boy will pick on a little girl that he likes. They don't know how to communicate what they're feeling yet and they can sometimes be a little mean when they're trying to get a girl's attention. Sometimes boys will be boys."

"Beel Weasley," Fleur hissed between her teeth. "If we weren't actively trying to teach Victoire zat violence is not zee answer, I would smack your head right now. 'Boys weel be boys' is no excuse for zat sort of behavior, regardless of zee fact zat they are so young."

"I didn't mean—" Bill began.

"I know you deedn't," Fleur said. "But we need to teach our daughter and any future children we might have zat zey need to treat everyone with respect."

"You're right," Bill said. "Girls and boys need to be treated equally."

He stood from the bed and set Victoire on the ground. She immediately latched herself onto his leg.

He addressed Fleur. "Ginny said to meet at Grimmauld Place to sort this all out." Tilting his head down to Victoire, he added, "We'll give you and Teddy a chance to talk and I'm sure you'll get back to being friends."

"NOOOO!"

* * *

"I don't like you anymore," Victoire whispered to Teddy. They were sitting side by side on the couch waiting to leave Grimmauld Place. It had been a long evening.

Her mummy and daddy had talked to Auntie Ginny, Uncle Harry, and Nana Meda. They had asked both her and Teddy what had happened.

"It's her fault," he had cried.

"No, it's not!" she replied. "He started it."

"She bit me!" he wailed.

"He keeps pulling my piggy tails," she whimpered.

"Enough!" Auntie Ginny had ordered. "You're friends!"

"I don't want to be her friend," Teddy said, sullenly.

Victoire's head snapped up and fat tears welled in her eyes. "What?"

"I don't want to be friends with stupid little baby," Teddy said.

"We do not call people names," Nana Meda scolded. "Apologize to Victoire right now, Teddy!"

"Sorry," he spat. "Baby," he mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.

"I don't want to be friends with a stinky boy either!" she hollered as she tackled him to the ground.

"Victoire!" her mother yelled.

"Teddy, Victoire," Uncle Harry tried to reason as he pulled them apart. "You don't have to be friends if you don't want. But you do have to be kind to each other. You can't go throwing around insults and attacking one another."

"But—" Victoire began.

"—But nothing," her mother said. "Harry iz right. You will see each other all of zee time at school and family events. You can't be fighting. If you won't be friends, you must be civil." She stared at Victoire and Teddy.

Victoire squirmed under the intense gaze. "OK," she agreed.

"OK," Teddy parroted.

"I expect that we won't have any more problems at school," Auntie Ginny said. Teddy and Victoire nodded. "Good. Now I've got some stew cooked if you'd all like to stay for dinner."

Victoire had successfully ignored Teddy during dinner. They hadn't needed to speak a word to each other, and she liked it that way. But now, they were seated side by side on the couch waiting for the adults to finish saying goodbye to one another.

"I don't like you anymore," Victoire whispered to Teddy.

"Good," Teddy said. "Because I don't like you either."

"Everyone likes me," Victoire said. "I have lots of friends."

"I know," Teddy said, quietly.

"You don't have any friends."

"I know. But Billy said he'd be my friend. And Billy is older and so cool. He shared his pumpkin pasty with me after you wouldn't let me have part of your cauldron cake."

"That's why you don't want me to be your friend?" she asked.

Before Teddy could answer, his Nana Meda called him. He sprung off the couch and left Victoire behind without a backwards glance.

She stared longingly after him, feeling an ache in her heart. She was so mad at him, but she was so confused. If they weren't friends and agreed to be kind, what were they?

She didn't know.


End file.
